Machines



(No Model.) 4 Shets-Sheet 1. A. CAMPBELL.

VARIABLE 'BBD MOTION FOR PRINTING MACHINES. No. 278,875. Patented. June5,1888.

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INVENTOR:

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N. PETERS. PlumLinw her, Washinglan. 0.1:.

VARIABLE BED MOTION FOR PRINTING MACHINES. I

Patented June 5,1883.

INVENTOR'.

WITNESSES:

s iz'onzeys,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.' A. CAMPBELL. VARIABLE BED MOTION FORPRINTING MACHINES.

INVENTOR:

Patented June 5,1883.

WITN ESSES:

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N. PEIEHS. Phalwulmmpw- Wahington. D. t;

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A. CAMPBELL. VARIABLE BED MOTION FOR PRINTING MACHINES. No. 278,875.Patented June 5,1883.

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N. PEYERS. PMIO-Uibogmphan Waalinglun. DJ}.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

' AXDREW CAMPBELL, or BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN MGLOUGHLIN AND. EDMUNDMCLOUGHLIN, on NEW YORK, (N. Y.

VARIABLE BED-MOTION FQR PR INTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,875, dated June 5,1883.

- Application filed August 24,1582. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented an ImprovedVariable Bed-Motion for Printing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of presses in which the bed bearingthe form reciprocates under the printing cylinder; and the inventionconsists, in part, in a novel mechanism for imparting to the bed itsreciprocating movement, whereby it is moved forward under the impressionat the same speed as the periphery of the cylinder and backward at agreater speed.

It also relates to the bearers which re-enforce the bed under the strainof the impression. hen the impression is off the bed, and it is movingback, it is desirable that it shall move rapidly, and this I accomplishby the novel mechanism which I will now describe with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of part of a printing pressarranged to illustrate my present improvements, the sectional partsbeing out along the line 1 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section,viewed from the right, and cut in the plane of the line 2 2 in Fig. 1,the gear M being shown displaced, as hereinafter explained. Fig. 3 is asimilar section cut in the plane of the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. i is anunder side view of the bed-rack and the driving-pinion. Fig. 5 is a planor top view of the compound driving pinion. Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysectional view cut on line 6 6 in Fig. 7 and looking in the samedirection as Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of Fig. 6, cutin the plane of line 7 T therein. Figs. i and 5 are drawn to a largerscale than the rcma-iningfigures.

In the drawings I have only shown a part of a printing-press, it notbeing deemed necessary to a full understanding of my invention that anybut the parts adjacent to and operating in connection with myimprovements should be shown.

Let A represent the ordinary frame of a printing-press, and B the bed,arranged to reciprocate on bearers or slides on the same.

0 is a compound rack, which is formed on or rigidly secured to the bed.This rack has a peb on one side is nearer the axis than the row 0 '60 onthe opposite side; and itwill also be seen (Figs. 1 and 2) that therow bis in alower plane than 0, while the semicircular rows a a are in aplane between the other two. The pitch of these three rows or racks isthe same, and the teeth at the extremities of the rowsor racks coincidein a vertical p1anethat jis to say, the last tooth-or space, as the casemay bein row bvcoincides with the first tooth in rowa, and may be avertical prolongation thereof, while at the other end of row 0 its lasttooth coincides with and may form a vertical prolongation of the firsttooth of row jc. Thus the rack is made continuous; but its ends andsides are in three different horizontal planes.

The compound pinion D is composed of three se aratc )inions a 1) and 0which I will call, for convenience, sections. These sections arearranged in planesto correspond and coincide with the planes of the rowsof teeth inrack G-that is to say, the rows av a are in the same planewith section a, row I) with section I), and row (3 with section 0.Sectionsb and c are concentricthat is, their axes coincide with eachother and with the vertical shaft E, upon which they are mounted.Section a is eccentric with the others, a tooth, 1, on one side of itcoinciding with a tooth on section b, and a tooth, z, 011 its oppositeside coinciding with a tooth on section 0. These sections may be allcast in one piece, if desired, in which case each of the teeth y and 2on a would form,with its respective coincident tooth on b or 0, onetooth with a long face.

Mounted on the upper end of shaft E, above the pinion, is a guide wheelor roller, F,which moves in a channel, (7, around the .rack C, andserves to-keep the teeth of the pinion engaged with those of the rack.

The shaft Erevolves with pinion D contin uously in one direction; and inorder that the pinion may be kept in its proper position with maximumspeed.

respect to the rack, to reciprocate the bed, the said shaft is mountedvertically in a-frame, G, which is arranged to move transversely andacross the line of travel of the bed. The upper part of frame G isprovided with a rod I or bar, H, Fig. 2, which slides in fixed guides orbearings e e, and on the lower part of shaft,

power-shaft of the machine.- In Figs. 1 and I have shown the wheel M inits proper posi tion when driven from the printing cylinder,

but in Fig. 2 I have shown it in another and lower position in order notto obscure other parts. It may be placed in any position around thewheel L consistent with the general arrangement of the machine.

To further strengthen the frame G and relieve the slide-bar H of unduestrain, I provide a fixed cross-bar, 1 arranged parallel with theslide-bar H and close against the frame G, which is connected to it by adovetail slide, as shown in Fig. 1.. The bar I? thus receives the thrustdue to the propulsion of the bed. In stead of the dovetail, two bars, P,maybe used, the frame G working between them. The lower portion of theframe G slides in a foot, Q, which projects from and is fixed to or castas a part of a cross-frame, A, which connects the two side frames of thepress.

I will now describe the operation of the mechanism for propelling thebed.

e will suppose the bed to be advancing with the impression on. Thepinion-section c shown .as containing twelve teeth) is in mesh withteeth 0 of rack C, and the bed is moving at its minimum speed. As thebed nears the end of its forward movement the eccentric section a (shownas containing fourteen teethf) engages the semicircular row of teeth aat the end of the rack. As the rack is fixed to the bed and cannot movelaterally, the pinion D rolls around the end of the rack to the oppositeside, when the teeth of section b engage the teeth in row I) of therack. To enable the pinion to thus shift its position transverselyacross the bed, the frame G (see Fig. 2) moves along with the bar H,shaft K, and wheel L transversely the proper distance, the bar H slidingin the bearings e and shaft K in the bearings f. The wheel M is wideenough to permit of the movement of wheel L without throwing it out ofmesh. The larger section I) of the pinion D (shown as containing sixteenteeth) being now in mesh with row I) of the rack-teeth, the bed is movedback at the Vith the proportions here in shown, but which may, of'course, be departed from, the ratio of the forward to the backwardmovement of the bed will be as three to four. a

- Inconstructing the rack O and pinion 1) care mustbe taken toproportion the number of teeth in the rack to those in the pinion, sothat the eccentric section a will properly engag'e with thesemicireularrows (6 of the rack at both ends. It will also be observed that as atooth 011 the pinion corresponds with a space on the rack it will benecessary to choose whether the opposite teeth (y and z in Fig. 5) ofthe eccentric section a of the pinion shall be made to coincide withteeth on the other sec tions, or whether spaces shall be thus made tocoincide. If the teeth on the pinion are made to coincide, then theterminal spaces on the rack must be made to coincide. This is theconstruction adopted in the drawings.

It will be seen that the pinion-sections b and c are the ones that arerelied upon to propel the bed, the function of the eccentric section abeing confined to shifting the pinion-shaft laterally at the end of thestroke and to insuring the correct intermeshing of the sections 1) and cwith the corresponding sections of the rack. Hence the section a" is notwholly essential, as it might be dispensed with if other suitable meanswere provided for shifting one of the propelling-sections out of and theother into engagement with the rack at each end of the stroke.

In lieu of placing the rack as shown, with the pinionshaft vertical, therack might be set on edge and the pinionshaft be arranged to lie in ahorizontal plane. In this case the pinion would shift in a verticalplane. The wheels L and M might be transposed, the longfaeed pinionbeing then on shaft K. The axis of the shaft E might remain stationaryand the rack C be mounted on the bed 13, so as to slide lat-.

erally thereon at each end of the stroke.

The bedB is mounted in somewhat the usual manner upon two longitudinalsliding bearings, S S, arranged near each side of the press. In myconstruction there are two longitudinal girders, It R, resting on thetransverse frames ofthe machine, and each having a groove, g, in its topside, in which groove roll a series of antifriction rollers, '1' 2', and011 these rollers a runner, h, on the under side of the bed travels. Asliding frame, T, fits in between the walls of the groove 9 and embracesthe sides of the runner h, thereby guiding the bed laterally, andtherollers i i fit between transverse bars I Zof this frame, wherebythey are kept in proper relative position The two frames T T arepropelled at the same speed as the rollers i i by a pinion, n, pivotedto each, and engaging astationary rack, m, below and a rack, m, fixed tothe bed above. The weight of the bed is borne entirely by thesebearings, except directly beneath the cylinder B, where itxr'eceives thestrain of the impression, it being there re-enforced by a centralbearing wheel or roller, 0, which is arrangedat such height that theunder surface of the center portion of the rack 0 rolls over it andbears upon it,

whereby the middle of the bed is upheld and prevented from sagging underthe pressure of the impression. This under bearing-surface of the rackextendsbeneath the entire length of the form, and, being of considerabledepth and strength, serves to transmit the support afforded by the wheelto the bed for some distance in front of and behind the wheel, therebyaffording an extended support to the bed. Prior to my invention thecenter bearingroller has been indirect contact with the under side ofthe bed, no rack or other deep and strong re-enforce being interposed,and it has been mounted on a shaft having bearings in the external sideframes of the machine, and adjustable by screws arranged to elevate thebearing-blocks. It is important in doing fine printing that thebearing-roller shall uphold the bed with the utmost rigidity, as a veryslight yielding or springing under the heavy strain required willmaterially impair the impression. To this end I mount my wheel 0 on ashort shaft and provide it with bearings arranged close to it on eachside, both bearings forming part of one frame, U, which extends beneaththe wheel, and is mounted on the rigid transverse frame A of the press.Thus the pressure is transmitted directly downward through the wheel 0and frame U to the frame A, whereby the centerof the bed is rigidlyre-enforced and upheld, and all sagging or springing sufficient toaffect the impression is prevented. The wheel 0 is adjustable verticallyto properly regulate the impression in the center ofthe bed by raisingor lowering its frame U bodily.

Beneath the frame U, and between it and the frame A, is a wedge, q, of awidth preferably equal to the length of the base of the frame U, and'the frame is fastened down by screws or bolts p p engaging the frame A.To adjust the frame, the screws 9 p are loosened, and the wedge g isadvanced or retracted by turning screws r r, or in any-other suitablemanner engaging lugs s s, whereupon the screws 1) p are again tightened,making all firm.

ing with said rack, one section arranged to mesh therewith while drivingthe bed in one direction, and another to mesh therewith while drivingthe bed in the opposite direction,

whereby the bed is driven at a greater speed in one direction than inthe other, substanfially as set forth.

2. The reciprocating bed of a printing-press; provided with a compoundrack, C, in combination with a compound driving-pinion, D, consisting ofsections of teeth of different di- 'whereby the bed shall be drivenfaster in one direction than in the other, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a printing-press, as

a means for giving to the bed a variable reciprocating movement, of thecompound rack 0, provided with rows of teeth a, b, and c, and thechannel (I, of the compound pinion D, comprising the sections a, b, andc, the guidewheel F, shaft E, the frame G, arranged to move in guidesacross the line of travel of the bed, and suitable mechanism,substantially as described, for rotating the pinion D, all arranged tooperate substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the bed, the compound rack and pinion, thepinion-shaft, the guided frame G, bev'el-gears I and J, shaft K, toothedwheel L, and the longfaced toothed wheel M, meshing therewith, allarranged substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the reciprocating bed B, the bed-rack affixedlongitudinally to its under side along the middle thereof and beneaththe form, and the bearing wheel or rollerv O, 'arrangedwith its axisdirectly beneath the IOC) axis of the cylinder and to bear upon saidrack,

and thereby sustain the bed under the strain of the impression,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the bed of a press, of sliding guides orsupports arranged beneath it, one on each side of its middle, and abearing-wheel arranged beneath its middle and directly beneath the axisof the printing-cylinder, with a bearing-frame for said wheel mounted ona rigid portion of the frame of the press, beneath said wheel andvertically adjustable thereon, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the bed 13 and cross-flame A of a irintin )ressof a bear ing-wheel, 0, arranged beneath the middle of the bed, with, abearing-frame, U, for said

